Quase todos preferem sentar na mesma posição, de frente para o lago.

Almost everyone prefers to sit in the same position, facing the lake.

Breakdown of Quase todos preferem sentar na mesma posição, de frente para o lago.

• na: in the
• preferir: to prefer
• todos: everyone
• quase: almost
• sentar: to sit
• mesmo: same
• posição: position
• de frente para: to face
• o lago: the lake

Questions & Answers about Quase todos preferem sentar na mesma posição, de frente para o lago.

What does Quase todos mean, and can I say Quase todo mundo instead?

Quase todos means almost everyone.
• quase = almost
• todos = everyone (masculine plural)
You can also say Quase todo mundo, which is a colloquial alternative with the same meaning. Both are correct.
Note: if you refer to a group of women, use quase todas.

Why is there no preposition after preferem?

In Portuguese, preferir followed by another verb takes the infinitive directly, with no preposition.
Example:
• Eles preferem sentar na mesma posição. = They prefer to sit in the same position.
Adding a preposition (e.g. a sentar) here would be incorrect.

Shouldn't it be sentar-se instead of sentar?

Both forms exist:
• sentar (transitive): very common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, especially before a location.
• sentar-se (pronominal): emphasizes the reflexive action (“to seat oneself”).
Dropping -se makes the sentence more natural:
Eles preferem sentar na mesma posição.

What's the deal with na in na mesma posição?

na is a contraction of em + a.
• em = in/at/on
• a = the (feminine singular)
So na mesma posição = in the same position.

What does de frente para mean?

de frente para means facing. You use it to indicate orientation toward something.
• de frente para o lago = facing the lake
In formal contexts you might see frente a(o), but in everyday Brazilian Portuguese de frente para is the most idiomatic choice.

Why is there a comma before de frente para o lago?

The comma separates the main clause (Quase todos preferem sentar na mesma posição) from the adverbial phrase (de frente para o lago). It adds a slight pause and highlights the directional detail. You can omit it if you prefer a tighter sentence.

Why is o used before lago? Can I say para lago?

Portuguese generally requires the definite article before a common noun.
• o = the (masculine singular)
Thus de frente para o lago is correct. Omitting o (de frente para lago) is ungrammatical.

Could I replace posição with postura?

Not really:
• posição refers to how you arrange or orient your body (e.g. where and how you sit).
• postura refers to alignment or carriage (e.g. keeping your back straight).
Here, mesma posição fits best to describe sitting in the same spot and orientation toward the lake.